SOE success begins with PR?

This week, one consortium in the running for the Singapore government's Standard ICT Operating Environment (SOE) project created some buzz with a special media briefing.Senior executives of the key drivers behind the One Team, NCS CEO Chong Yoke Sin and IBM's managing director for Singapore, Patricia Yim, took turns to share with the media their longstanding partnership and what their team could offer.

Senior executives of the key drivers behind the One Team, NCS CEO Chong Yoke Sin and IBM's managing director for Singapore, Patricia Yim, took turns to share with the media their longstanding partnership and what their team could offer.

From the media point of view, there was really no announcement, but credit goes to the two companies for their effort and for thinking big and smart.

Big, because the two companies have spared no expense in making their case, and they have acted as if they've already won the project. Corporate collateral such as folders and note pads carrying a specially created SOE logo have been issued since April.

Smart, because NCS and IBM have opened up a platform for the media to get answers to questions that otherwise would be hanging in the air. By being transparent, and helpful, they've in fact done themselves a favor and successfully pulled off the public relations exercise.

The stakes are high; the SOE project is worth about S$1.5 billion (US$940.4 million). Both NCS and IBM know the consortium cannot afford to lose, but so do the other consortia, even though they have been awfully quiet on the topic.